USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 63
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Fraternally. Mr. Binegar was a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Patrons of Husbandry. Religiously. he, as well as all the members of the family, was a stanch adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church and actively identified with its various interests. Wherever Mr. Binegar went his geniality, kindness and honesty made him welcome, and these characteristics won him friends, who were glad to enu- merate him among their acquaintances.
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EPHRAIM L. ALLEN.
The Allen family first came to Fayette county, Ohio, nearly a century ago, and have been identified with the history of Jasper township during all of these years. Ephraim L. Allen has spent the half century of his life within the limits of this township and consequently is well known by the residents of his township. His life has always been conducted along such lines as to merit the high esteem in which he is universally held, and he is conceded by every one to be one of the progressive and representative citizens of the town- ship.
Ephraim L. Allen, son of Elijah and Mahala ( Harper ) Allen, was born September II, 1860, on the farm where he is now living. His father, who was the son of Elijah and Sorilia (Hinkle) Allen, was born in Jefferson township, near Lancaster, this county, in 1827. Elijah Allen, Sr., came from Pendleton county, Virginia, and was one of the early pioneers of Fay- ette county, Ohio. Elijah Allen, Jr., and wife were the parents of twelve children, James, Mrs. Adelia Sanderson, Mrs. Selvelia Wilt, Mrs. Christina E. Street, Ephraim L., Emma, Ella, William S., Carrie and Maywood P. Of these children, Emma and Ella are dead.
The education of Ephraim L. Allen was received in the Milledgeville and Octa schools, finishing at the latter. He remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age and then began working out by the month. After his marriage he rented land of his father and subsequently purchased sixty- nine acres where he is now living. He has always engaged in general farm- ing, dividing his attention between the raising of grains and live stock in such a manner as to make his farm yield the best results. He has a good country home. excellent barns and outbuildings and everything which the successful farmer needs to farm to the best advantage.
Mr. Allen was married in 1893 to Frances Servis, the daughter of Phillip and Martha ( Harrison) Servis. Phillip Servis was the son of Charles Servis, a native of New Jersey and an early settler in Fayette county. Phillip Servis and wife reared a family of nine children, Phillip, Ollie, Mrs. Elizabeth Lambert, Mrs. Martha Watts, James, Phoebe. Mrs. Frances Allen, Jacob and Charles. Four of these children are deceased. Philip, Ollie. James and Phoebe. Mr. Allen and his wife have a family of seven children, five of whom are living. Oscar, Melvin, Grace, Edith and Harry. Grace married Arthur Houser and has one daughter. Helen Lucile. The second and the last children born to Mr. and Mrs. Allen. Katie and Charles, are both deceased.
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Politically, Mr. Allen is identified with the Republican party and has always taken an active part in local politics. He has served as road super- visor and school director, filling both positions with credit to himself and satisfaction to the citizens of the township. Mr. Allen is a whole-souled man, interested in everything which might benefit the general welfare of his community, and is a strong supporter of all worthy moral, educational and civic enterprises.
ALMER HEGLER.
The Hegler family is of Swiss descent, and Almer Hegler, whose his- tory is here presented, is the fifth in direct line from the first member of the family to come to this country. The heads of the respective generations are as follows: Sebastian, Jacob, Abraham, Milton and Almer. Sebastian was born in Virginia in the earlier part of the eighteenth century. One of his sons, Jacob, married Mary Dice, and to this union was born Abraham, the grandfather of Almer, with whom this narrative deals. Abraham Hegler was born in Virginia in 1789, and was twice married.
The first wife of Abraham Hegler was Elizabeth Shobe, and to this union three children were born. Lucinda Stingley, Mrs. Mahala Latta and Adonijah. The second marriage of Abraham Hegler was to Dolly Stookey, and to this union six children were born, Milton, Cyrus, Allan, Lawson, Huldy, Effa, all deceased. The father of Almer, the immediate subject of this sketch, was the eldest of his family.
Abraham Hegler moved to Ross county, Ohio, in 1809, and lived there the remainder of his life. Milton Hegler, one of the six children born to Abraham and Dolly (Stookey) Hegler was born in Ross county. Ohio, March 21, 1816, and after his marriage took up his abode in Fayette county. He was a life-long resident of this county and died here in 1887, at the advanced age of eighty-one. Milton Hegler was twice married, his first mar- riage occurring in about 1850 to Abigail DeWitt, the daughter of Henry and Abigail (Davis) DeWitt. His first wife died February 14. 1858. leav- ing her husband with two living sons, Lawson and Almer, and two who died in infancy. Lawson has since died. The second wife of Milton Hegler was Sarah J. McCoy, the daughter of Thomas and Margaret ( Harper) McCoy, this marriage occurring December 24. 1862, and to this second union four children were born, Mrs. Dora Shobe, Orris, David S., and Iva B., the wife of Harry T. Baker. Milton Hegler was one of the wealthiest men of his
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county at the time of his death and left an estate of over one thousand acres of land in Wayne township. He had extensive business interests outside of his land holdings and was a director in the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company for many years.
Almer Hegler, son of Milton and Abigail (DeWitt) Hegler, was born November 17, 1854, in Wayne township, this county, and has spent his entire life within the township where he was born. He was educated in the schools of his home township and finished in the graded schools of Washington C. H. He has spent all of his life in farming, although he has been engaged in various business enterprises along with his agricultural pursuits. For sev- eral years he and Elijah Hopkins had a factory at Washington C. H., where they made the Eclipse hog holder and the Eclipse hog ring, which were en- dorsed and widely used by the most substantial stock raisers of the county. At the present time Mr. Hegler is largely interested in the manufacture of fertilizer, to which he gives a great deal of attention and which has proven very remunerative, from which he has just retired. November 1, after seven- teen years spent in these lines. For many years Mr. Hegler was the mana- ger of his father's estate of twelve hundred acres and is now farming his share of the paternal estate. He has a beautiful country home with at- tractive surroundings and is classed among the most substantial men of his township and county.
Mr. Hegler was married September 21, 1887, to Mrs. Laura (McCoy) Thompson, the widow of Wesley C. Thompson and a daughter of Allen and Malinda ( Kuhl) McCoy.
FRANK M. ALLEN.
The success of any man is not the measure of material wealth that he may be able through his genius to accumulate, but by the actual good he may perform for himself and for others. It has been wisely stated that "he who causes two blades of grass to grow where one grew before is a benefactor to mankind." The man who is loyal to his family, to his community and to his country always makes a model citizen. Some men are gifted in one way and others in another, but the man who can adapt himself to his environ- ments and do well his part in life's conflict, best serves the purpose for which he was created. Such a man is Frank M. Allen, supervising editor of the historical portion of this volume. Hence the following notice concerning
Frankm. allen
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Mr. Allen, the present county superintendent of schools in Fayette county, whose career as a teacher, a soldier, a county official and most exemplary American citizen, will be briefly referred to.
Frank M. Allen was born June 30, 1840, in Jefferson township, Fayette county, Ohio, the son of Armstrong and Jane ( MeHenry ) Allen, natives of Ohio and Kentucky, respectively. Armstrong Allen was born in Madison county, Ohio, December 25, 1808, and was reared to manhood in his native county. His wife, Jane McHenry, was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1800, the daughter of John McHenry, a native of Scotland, who came to this country in young manhood and became the American ancestor of this McHenry family. John and Mary McHenry were the parents of five chil- dren, Elizabeth, Isaac, Green, John and Jane. The last named became the wife of Armstrong Allen. Her brothers, Green and John, were soldiers in the War of 1812.
Armstrong and Jane (McHenry) Allen were blessed with children as follows: Elizabeth, Rachel, John C., Mary, William, David, Isaac and Frank M. John C. Allen, of this family, was captain of Company K, Forty-fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. In this same regiment also loyally served three other sons of Armstrong Allen and wife, viz: William, Isaac and David, while the youngest child, Frank M. Allen, who was too young to enlist at the beginning of the war, managed to enter the army in February, 1864, and served as an efficient soldier until his final muster out on August 6, 1865, having participated, under Gen. Phil Sheridan, in Virginia during the last year of that memorable conflict. Thus it will be seen that all of Armstrong Allen's five sons were soldiers from their native state-a splendid record of loyalty indeed. The father, Armstrong Allen, died February 19, 1847, when Frank M. was less than one year of age. The good mother survived until August 12, 1895.
Frank M. Allen attended the common schools of Jefferson township, then went to the graded schools of Jeffersonville, after which he entered the Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, from which he subsequently graduated. He then began teaching in the district schools of Fayette county, continuing many years with marked success. He was promoted as an instructor to the principalship of the Bloomingburg schools. In 1879 he was elected principal of the high school at Washington C. H. The last named position he left for the purpose of taking the superintendency of the city schools of Muncie, Indiana, where he gave universal satisfaction, and resigned to accept a more lucrative position as superintendent of the North Denver schools, in Colorado. (42)
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His latest school teaching was at Jefferson, Ohio, where he taught a few years before being elected clerk of Fayette county.
Rich with the experience of years in the school rooms of this and other states, it is no wonder that he was elected, under the new school law of Ohio, in July, 1914, as county superintendent of schools. In this he is proving the same methodical, painstaking educator that has characterized him so long as an instructor.
Politically, Mr. Allen has long been identified with the Republican party and, because of his ability, he has been honored on numerous occasions and was elected to the office of county clerk, beginning in 1887 and serving faith- fully and well for three terms. He has also served as a member of the Washington C. H. school board and as county examiner. For many years he was on the county board of equalization, and was appointed by Governor Cox as a trustee of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors' Orphans' Home at Xenia, which position he still holds. He is also a member of the board of examin- ers of the state, being appointed by the supreme court. In this role he serves as chairman of the committee on general learning. He has served as commander of Hays Post. Grand Army of the Republic, at Washington C. H. and is much interested in this post. He has served as senior vice-com- mander of the state. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. having joined this fraternity in 1876, at Bloomingburg, Ohio. He is also identified with the Knights of Pythias order at Washington C. H. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as are the members of his house- hold.
Unlike the man who has had fortunes showered upon him from his -youth, what he possesses in way of prosperity has come by the industry and toil so well known to every citizen of Fayette county. Among his holdings may be mentioned his two-hundred-acre farm on Mallow pike, three and a half miles to the west of Washington C. H. To this he gives personal super- vision, and delights in seeing it produce its annual crops and also in making improvements from year to year as needed. The family home in Washing- ton C. H. is situated on East Temple street, where genial hospitality is duly appreciated by a legion of friends.
Of Mr. Allen's domestic life it may be stated that he married Sarah, daughter of Harvey and Mary ( Brooks) Sanderson, on June 18, 1868. Mrs. Allen was born near Milledgeville, Ohio, in Jasper township, this county. Her father was born in the same township, a son of Harvey and Ruth (Fig- gins ) Sanderson. Harvey Sanderson, Jr .. one of four in his parents' family.
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was a prosperous farmer in Jefferson township; was a zealous church worker ; was active in political work and one of the best known citizens here in his day and generation.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Allen are the parents of three children, Aurelius (Rell G.), Claude and Ralph.
Aurelius Allen, the eldest son, graduated from the high school at Wash- ington C. H., after which he entered the Cincinnati Law School, from which he graduated in 1896. He has been in active practice at the county seat for a number of years. He served as deputy clerk in the Fayette county court ; was mayor of the city three terms and is now probate judge of Fayette county. He is ranking major in the Ohio National Guard.
Claude, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Allen, graduated from the local high school, and entered the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, from which she graduated. She is now the wife of Guy B. Saxton and their daughter, Jane Saxton, is attending the Ohio Wesleyan College, at Delaware, Ohio.
Ralph, the third and youngest of the family of Frank M. Allen and wife, is deceased.
JOHN L. BARNES.
In the respect that is accorded to men who have fought their own way to success through unfavorable environment we find an unconscious recog- nition of the intrinsic worth of a character which can not only endure so rough a test, but gains new strength through the discipline. John L. Barnes, of Fayette county, Ohio, was not favored by inherited wealth or the assist- ance of influential friends, but in spite of this, by perseverance, industry and wise economy, he has attained a comfortable station in life and made his influence felt for good in his community. Additional honor should be ac- corded him because he is numbered among those patriotic sons of the North who assisted in saving the integrity of the Union in the dark days of the sixties.
John L. Barnes, the son of David L. and Margaret (Shannon) Barnes, was born September 14, 1843, in Pickaway county, Ohio. His father was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Quaker extraction, and, when a young man, left his native state and settled in Pickaway county, Ohio, near Williamsport. He first followed the blacksmith trade and later, after moving to Fayette county. in 1857. engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock.
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Nine children were born to David L. Barnes and wife, John L., George, Edward, Joseph, Mrs. Catherine Kerney, William, Harry, Mrs. Flora Flower and James.
John L. Barnes attended school in Pickaway county and received most of his education in Circleville, the county seat of that county. He was nine- teen years of age when his parents moved to Fayette county and here he has spent the remainder of his life. He enlisted in 1864 in Company C. One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served as second lieutenant, but saw active service for only a short time. He was captured by the Confederates at Cynthiana, Kentucky, but afterwards re- leased by the enemy and returned to his company before the close of the war. He was mustered out at Camp Denison, Ohio, in the summer of 1865. Immediately after the close of the war he returned to Fayette county and after his marriage, in 1857, began farming in Jasper township, where he has since resided. He has a fine farm of two hundred acres, which is well im- proved and one of the most productive farms in the township. This was all covered with woods when he settled here.
Mr. Barnes was married May 7, 1867, to Sarah L. Ford, the daughter of F. L. and Martha ( Snider) Ford. E. L. Ford was a native of Cumber- land county, Maine, where his birth occurred September 20, 1819. After receiving a good common school education he began teaching school at the age of fourteen and continued to follow that profession until 1841, when he left his native state and removed to Ohio, where he taught school in Hamil- ton county until 1843. He was married to Martha M. Snider, the daughter of Gen. John Snider, of Hamilton county, June 4. 1843, and to this union seven children were born, Mrs. Sarah Latham, Mrs. Lucy Miller, Mrs. Mary Tichoir, James, Charles, Frank and William.
Mr. Barnes and wife are the parents of ten children. Estella, Roscoe. Clara, John L., Pearl, F. H., W. F., Grace, Harry and Lillian. Estella is the wife of Jerry Acton and has four children, Arnot, Carl, Harry and Eugene : Roscoe married Jessie Jenkins and has one son, Harold: Clara is the wife of Allen Ferguson and has one son, John : John L., the fourth child of Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, is the only one of the family who is deceased: Pearl is the wife of Lares Compton Spitler ; F. H. is unmarried : W. F. married May Carr and has one son, Howard; Grace is the wife of John Cannon and has two chil- dren, Robert and Dorothy : Harry married Ruby Weimer : Lillian, the young- est of the family, is still single.
Mr. Barnes and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal
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church and have always been prominent workers in the church and Sunday school. He is a member of Millikan Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and is very much interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. The fifty years which Mr. Barnes has spent in Fayette county have given the people an excellent opportunity to know him in his every-day life. and the fact that he is held in universal esteem and respect is indicative of the clean and wholesome life he has led.
WILLIAM A. HOLDREN.
In contemplating the many estimable qualities of the late William A. Holdren, integrity and industry appear as prominent characteristics, an in- tegrity that no personal or other consideration could swerve and an industry that knew no rest while anything remained undone. When a given task was accomplished he would throw off all care, retire to his home and loved ones and devote himself to domestic and social enjoyment for which he had the keenest zest and relish. His temper was calm and equable and his manners those of the gentleman. His devotion to every-day duty was intense, and although his life was a busy one yet he never allowed it to interfere with his Christian obligations or the faithful performance of his church duties. „Always calm and straightforward, never demonstrative, his life was a steady effort for the worth of Christian doctrine, the purity and grandeur of Christian principles and the beauty and elevation of Christian character. He commanded the respect of all classes by his exemplary life, and his memory will long be revered by his many friends and acquaintances.
William A. Holdren was born in Buckskin township, Ross county, Ohio, May 26, 1859, and died at his handsome country home in Wayne township, Fayette county, Ohio, January 5, 1905. He was the son of John W. and Mary (James) Holdren. His father was a native of Virginia, coming to Ross county, Ohio, with his parents when he was only three years of age. In that county he grew to manhood, married and reared a family of seven children, William A., Mrs. Mattie Harper, R. G., Otto, Lily, Olive and Lafayette. Only three of these children are now living, Otto, R. G. and Lafayette.
William A. Holdren was educated at the Pisgah and South Star schools in this county. When a young man he worked at the carpenter trade and followed that until he married and then he engaged in farming in Ross
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county, this state. In 1900 he came to Fayette county and purchased his farm of one hundred and eighty-three acres in Wayne township. He was an excellent farmer. and although a resident of this county but five years, yet in that short time he impressed his neighbors as a man of fine ability and a man who always strived to do the right thing.
Mr. Holdren was married September 18, 1884, to Arizona B. Rogers, daughter of William and Malinda ( Divens) Rogers. Her father was a native of this township, and to him and his wife were born three children, Arizona, Mrs. Jennie Culy, and Samuel H., deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hold- ren were the parents of three children, Lee, Glenn R. and Esta M., Lee being deceased. Mr. Holdren was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his wife still holds her membership in the Baptist church. He was a man of pleasing presence and easily made friends. His upright career and wholesome moral influence made him a popular man in the community. His influence was always salutary and his example worthy of imitation. Such a man is a blessing to any community and it is eminently fitting that his career be placed in this biographical history of his county.
WILLIAM A. SAUM.
There never was a time in the history of the world when the farmer was not the most important factor in the life of the nations. Holding, as he does, the life of the people in his hands, he is the very bulwark of every nation in the world. With the introduction of labor-saving machinery the life of the farmer is fast losing most of those objections which it once had. No more is the farmer compelled to rise early in the morning and work late at night; the farmer of today can get more work done in one day than his grandfather could in a week. A modern reaper can do as much work in one day as two men can do in two weeks and with infinitely less labor and, at the same time, in a much more efficient manner. Farming under modern-day conditions is really an enjoyable occupation and it is gratifying to note that so many of our best young men are turning to this time-honored occupation for a livelihood. Among the progressive farmers of Fayette county who are fully abreast of the times is William A. Saum, of Perry township.
William A. Saum, the son of Solomon and Samantha ( Parrett) Saum, was born April 22, 1865, in Jefferson township, Fayette county, Ohio. Solo- mon Saum was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Winegardner) Saum and
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was born in Perry county, Ohio, in 1841. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania of German descent and was one of the early settlers in Perry county, Ohio. Solomon Saum was reared to manhood in Perry county and came to Fayette county after his marriage in 1865, where he lived until his death. Samantha Parrett, the wife of Solomon Saum, was the daughter and only child of Henry and Sarah ( Glaze) Parrett, and was born in Fayette county. Three children were born to Solomon Saum and wife: William A., Charles C. and Elmer H.
Mr. Saum received all of his education in the district schools of his home township and remained at home until his marriage. At the age of thirty-one he married and began farming for himself on his present farm of one hun- dred and thirty acres in Perry township. He has placed many improvements on the farm since he bought it and by a system of scientific crop rotation brought the farm to a high state of productivity. He raises excellent crops and gives considerable attention to the breeding of a high grade of live stock.
Mr. Saum was married April 23, 1896, to Mary Dowler, the daughter of Charles and Josephine ( Baxley) Dowler. To this union there has been born two children, Ralphord H. and Reva L. Mr. Saum and his wife are stanch members of the Methodist Episcopal church and deeply interested in all church and Sunday school work.
Politically, Mr. Saum is a Democrat, and, while interested in good gov- ernment, has never been a candidate for any public office, preferring to devote all of his time and energy to his agricultural labors. He gives his linreserved support to all worthy measures which are launched in his com- munity for the general welfare of his fellow citizens.
EDWARD POST.
An enterprising and progressive farmer of Jasper township, Fayette county, Ohio, is Edward Post, who is the owner of a fine farm of two hun- dred acres on the Ford pike. Reared to the agricultural life, he has devoted all his energies to farming and with a success which speaks well for his efforts. As a public-spirited citizen and advocate of good government, he has been prominently identified with the civic life of his township and is now serving his second term as trustee of Jasper township.
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